Worldwide Loveliness That Reminds Us to Get Out There and Art It Up

I think we all get a bit of seasonal wanderlust when May, June and July roll around. For me, it is all about the urge to reconnect with nature. To breathe, explore with all my senses and allow the beauty of the places around me to provide a much needed recharge.

In the same way the landscape paintings I’ve collected here provoke the same reaction — allowing me “breathe deep.” They also have me itching to capture the beauty of nature in art. Don’t let this season pass you by without doing the same.

To further inspire this season of creativity, get your digital copy of American Artist’s Summer Dreams, in which all the articles and instruction are themed around what you could be doing these next few months, from painting on the go to capturing the nostalgia and glamour of beach beauties of the past. So much creativity to spur you on–and so much know-how to get your painting on the right track every time! Enjoy!

Courtney

Mirror Lake

Mirror Lake by Franklin Carmichael, 1929.Instant tranquility. That’s what I feel when I look at Franklin Carmichael’s painting–immediate ease and just a relaxation in my mind and body as I soak up the colors and the gentle curving lines. Imagine seeing like this all the time — a gift reserved only for us, artists!

Placida

Placida by Michael Reardon, watercolor painting.

I have met Michael Reardon and I know for a fact that he doesn’t have wings nor is he 10 feet tall, yet how else can I make sense of his incredible vantage points? Always he allows his viewers to soar across expanses of sky that really just fill you up with a lot of joy.

Lawrence Tree

The Lawrence Tree by Georgia O’Keeffe, 1929.

Debates on how this painting should be oriented give viewing it another level of interest, but for me it is about peaceful rest no matter how you hang it on the wall. I imagine myself resting oh-so comfortably at the base of the tree, breathing fresh pine-scented air and feeling like I’ve been swallowed up by the universe in the very best way.

Serenity Lake of the Woods

Serenity Lake of the Woods by Frank H. Johnston, 1922.I rarely use the term “the heavens” to describe the sky, but with this painting by Frank H. Johnston I am tempted.

Is there technically such a thing as a skyscape? If so, this work definitely is a category leader. But what makes it so interesting is the color and the forms. The way the two cloud formations overlap and seem to electrify each other. The golden light seems to glow in contrast to the deep blue-purple-green-greys of the oncoming storm clouds.

Energy Field & Water

Energy Field & Water by Nancy Reyner, acrylic painting.

Nancy Reyner makes disorientation an incredibly pleasant experience. I don’t know if I’m above the water, in front of it or underneath it, but either way I embrace what I am seeing. The texture of the painting surface mimics the crash and swirl of waves in an abstract way that feels as close to the truth as anything I’ve ever seen.

Morning at Cavaliere

Morning at Cavaliere by Henri Manguin, 1906.

I love the fauvist explosion of patchy color in this Henri Manguin painting. It is the epitome of summer at her headiest. It seems like there is a visual riot going on and yet it feels like I could easily step up to the painting and be in this place. The composition is that strong–feels that real.

Niagara

Niagara by John Salminen, watercolor painting.

There will definitely come a time in summer where I will be sticky and sweaty and on the border of non-violent violence. This painting by John Salminen could be my saving grace. I feel cool and refreshed as soon as I turn my eyes on it. The brisk chill of the air seems to snap on the surface of the painting and provides a much needed antidote to the heat.